China’s PM calls for advanced development of elderly care services
Date
8/27/2024 4:41:33 AM
(MENAFN) On Monday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang highlighted the importance of addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by an aging population. Speaking at a State Council study session, Li emphasized that population aging will be a significant feature of China’s demographic landscape for the foreseeable future. He stressed the need not only to confront the challenges associated with an aging society but also to recognize and leverage the development opportunities it presents.
Li called for a focus on enhancing elderly care services by expanding home and community-based care options. He urged improvements in rural elderly care networks and support for local governments in developing mutual-aid elderly care systems tailored to local conditions. Additionally, Li emphasized the integration of medical and health care with elderly care services, increasing the availability of nursing home beds, and expanding long-term care services to address the needs of elderly individuals with disabilities.
The Premier also underscored the necessity of strengthening financial security for the elderly by improving the unified national management system for old-age insurance funds. He advocated for a multi-tiered and multi-pillar old-age insurance system and encouraged efforts to utilize elderly human resources by creating diverse, age-appropriate job opportunities. Expanding and refining the silver economy to better serve the needs of the elderly was also highlighted as a key goal.
During the session, Wu Yushao, a professor at Fudan University, delivered a lecture, and Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, State Councilor Wang Xiaohong, and State Councilor Shen Yiqin participated in discussions. As of the end of 2023, China’s elderly population had reached 297 million, including 217 million aged 65 or older, representing 15.4 percent of the total population.
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